Government

UK Ship Register showcases new look as it launches online registration

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A new logo for the UK Ship Register is one of many new improvements following digitisation
A new logo for the UK Ship Register is one of many new improvements following digitisation

The UK Ship Register has released a new look Red Ensign alongside its complete online registration system.  The upgrade is part of the continued modernisation of its services to ship owners and operators worldwide and bolsters its international offer.

From this week customers will be invited to use the digital UKSR portal which offers self-serve capability for registering a new vessel and renewing registration. Owners will also be able to provisionally check a vessel’s name and request transcripts online. The launch follows months of development and testing, throughout which customers were consulted and helped to shape the tool, which will add real value to their operations.

Continue reading “UK Ship Register showcases new look as it launches online registration”

New AMSA national compliance plan 2020-2021 outlines what the authority will be looking for over coming year

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The 2020-2021 AMSA national compliance plan gives details of what to expect from the authority over the coming year
The 2020-2021 AMSA national compliance plan gives details of what to expect from the authority over the coming year

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is the national Commonwealth Government agency responsible for maritime safety, protection of the marine environment, and maritime and aviation search and rescue. A new AMSA National Compliance Plan 2020-2021 gives industry a transparent overview of the compliance focus areas over the coming year and what to expect in instances of non-compliance.

Through the AMSA National Compliance Plan the authority is dedicated to supporting the regulated community. Their regulatory approach supports this by adopting a risk-based approach and tailoring their compliance focus and resources according to the willingness Continue reading “New AMSA national compliance plan 2020-2021 outlines what the authority will be looking for over coming year”

UK to accept CE-certified products with Recreational Craft Directive until end of 2021

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UK to accept CE-certified products with Recreational Craft Directive until end of 2021
UK to accept CE-certified products with Recreational Craft Directive until end of 2021

IMCI, the Brussels-based International Marine Certification Institute, has issued a statement to say that all products that are certified under the Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) by IMCI will be able to be placed on the UK market with the CE mark until 1 January 2022.

According to new guidance released by the UK government, industry will be able to use the CE marking until 31 December 2021 if any of the following apply:

– CE marking is applied to goods on the basis of self-declaration
– a mandatory third-party conformity assessment was carried out by an EU-recognised Notified Body Continue reading “UK to accept CE-certified products with Recreational Craft Directive until end of 2021”

Fishing vessel owners found guilty of safety breaches in MCA prosecution

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The owners of Sea Lady (pictured) were found guilty of safety breaches
The owners of Sea Lady (pictured) were found guilty of safety breaches

The company owners of two UK-registered fishing vessels which went to sea without the correct certification have been found guilty in a prosecution by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and fined a total of £4,000.

Philomena Trawlers Ltd and D&G Seafoods Ltd were represented by defence lawyer Paul Rogers at the hearing at Southampton Magistrates Court on Friday, August 28.

Both companies pleaded guilty to charges of offences Contrary to Regulations 5(1)(b) and 5(4) of the Fishing Vessels (Codes of Practice) Continue reading “Fishing vessel owners found guilty of safety breaches in MCA prosecution”

Paris MoU Annual Report 2019 shows port state detention rate is down

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Port state detention rates are down is key finding of the Paris MoU Annual Report 2019
Port state detention rates are down is key finding of the Paris MoU Annual Report 2019

The Paris MoU Annual Report 2019 has been published and is available for download at the end of this article. This report provides an overview of the activities of the Paris MoU in 2019 including the statistics. Some of the highlights of the report are set out below.

The Paris MoU Annual Report 2019 reveals that in the past three years 76 ships have been banned for multiple detentions, 6 ships were banned for “failing to call at an indicated repair yard” and one ship for jumping detention. In the same period, 13 ships were banned for a second time. In the period 2017 to 2019 the flags of Comoros, the Republic of Moldova, the United Republic of Tanzania and Togo have recorded the highest number of bannings.

Continue reading “Paris MoU Annual Report 2019 shows port state detention rate is down”

MCA detains six fishing vessels in safety effort due to breaches of legislation

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Fishing vessels detained: Zara Annabel (pictured) has been detailed by MCA surveyors
Fishing vessels detained: Zara Annabel (pictured) has been detailed by MCA surveyors

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has detained a further UK flagged fishing vessel following its failure to get its mandatory intermediate survey done in time. Owners of the scallop dredger, Zara Annabel, have been served with the notice to ensure the vessel makes for the nearest suitable port and to notify the crew that its UK Fishing Vessel Certificate is no longer valid. It brings to a total of six the number of UK flagged fishing vessels detained by the MCA over the past two weeks after being found to be non-compliant with multiple areas of legislation under the Merchant Shipping Act.

The Olivia Jean was detained by MCA surveyors at Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire on 31 July. Earlier in the Continue reading “MCA detains six fishing vessels in safety effort due to breaches of legislation”

Targeted container ship inspection campaign launched by AMSA

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Due to a number of recent events AMSA is launching a targeted container ship inspection campaign
Due to a number of recent events AMSA is launching a targeted container ship inspection campaign

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is launching a focused container ship inspection campaign targeting cargo securing arrangements on container ships visiting Australian ports. This inspection campaign is being initiated in response to several serious incidents involving shipping containers lost overboard recently.

Incidents like the losses of 81 containers off Newcastle by the YM Efficiency in 2018, 50 containers off Wollongong by the APL England in May and three containers from the Navios Unite off Cape Leeuwin in June have caused significant environmental damage to Australia’s iconic marine and coastal environment have made this container ships inspection campaign necessary. These events affect the livelihoods Continue reading “Targeted container ship inspection campaign launched by AMSA”

Make your views on red diesel known to the UK Government by 1 October 2020

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The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is urging users of diesel propelled craft, particularly private pleasure craft, to have their say on the future of red diesel. It’s not about the colour, tax status or price, says the RYA, it’s about existing supply needs.

A consultation has been launched by HMRC about the proposed changes to the rules and you have until 1 October 2020 to read the proposals and make your views known.

At this year’s Spring Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak shared plans for the intended removal of entitlement to use red diesel from April 2022, except for the agriculture sector (including forestry, horticulture and fish farming), railways, and where red diesel is used to power Continue reading “Make your views on red diesel known to the UK Government by 1 October 2020”

Loss of cargo containers overboard from container ship Ever Smart report published by MAIB

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Ever Smart: containers overboard
Ever Smart: containers overboard

MAIB have published their report on the container ship Ever Smart. On 30 October 2017, the UK registered container ship Ever Smart suffered a container stow collapse while on passage between Taipei, Taiwan and Los Angeles, USA resulting in containers overboard. The master had changed the ship’s passage plan to avoid severe weather caused by a developing depression east of Japan. The ship continued in heavy seas; rolling and pitching heavily with frequent bow flare slamming. Once the weather had abated, the crew discovered that the container stacks on the aft most bay had collapsed and toppled to port. Of the 151 containers in the stow, 42 containers overboard and 34 were damaged. Superficial damage was caused to the ship. Continue reading “Loss of cargo containers overboard from container ship Ever Smart report published by MAIB”

Scrubbers Coatings as important as quality material of scrubber components to prevent corrosion

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Coatings for scrubbers
Coatings for scrubbers

Corrosion has emerged as the arch-enemy of the exhaust gas cleaning systems as the uptake of the technology rose with the entrance into force of the IMO 2020 sulphur cap.

Like with any new technology, scrubber maintenance and operation has been a learning curve for ship owners and operators, especially in the context of preventing failures of the technology and reducing downtime.

“Corrosion mainly happens on the overboard pipes, the last piece from GRE piping and connection to shell plating of the hull, especially near the connections and welding seams, and the area on the external hull around the overboard pipe outlet,” said Manuel Hof, Sales & Production Executive, NACE Coating Inspector Level 2 at Subsea Industries.

“These areas will need to be protected against acid-containing water (highly corrosive sulphuric acid) coming from the exhaust gas cleaning system. Continue reading “Scrubbers Coatings as important as quality material of scrubber components to prevent corrosion”

Marshall Islands Yacht Code set for revision in 2021

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Marshall Islands Yacht Code set to be updated for 2021

An initiative to update and amend the Republic of the Marshall Islands Yacht Code is currently in progress with the launch of the new revised edition anticipated for the second half of 2021.

The Marshall Islands Yacht Registry is one of the largest in the world. As of May 31, 2020, it included 595 yachts representing 13% by number of the 4,722 vessels listed. The yachts totalled 183,817 GT, which accounted for just 0.10% of the 175.2m GT of the total flag fleet.

The revision work is taking input from across the Registry’s global specialist teams, as well as external experts. A revised version is Continue reading “Marshall Islands Yacht Code set for revision in 2021”

IIMS is supporting UK Maritime Safety Week

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My blog is long overdue for an update and what better time to scribble down a few words than at the start of UK Maritime Safety Week which runs from 6 to 10 July 2020. It seems appropriate to put the IIMS weight behind an awareness campaign of this kind, not least as one of the major roles of any marine surveyor, not just in the UK, is to help to keep lives safe at sea and to help protect vessels, cargoes and maritime assets.

UK Maritime Minister, Kelly Tolhurst MP outlined the objectives of the week:
– Recognise the excellent safety work that already goes on across the sector;
Continue reading “IIMS is supporting UK Maritime Safety Week”

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